Imperial crab was always a treat at my house growing up, usually served in little custard cups at Christmas dinner. It was also always delicious! It's good the day of hot from the oven, but my favorite way to eat it is actually leftover the next day cold on crackers. My husband thought I was nuts for eating it cold, until he tried it, now he prefers it that way as well. The most expensive part of the dish is definitely the crab meat, as we usually have everything else on hand regularly. But it does come together quickly and easily. Here's how easy it is...
2 lbs Crab Meat (picked clean of shells, and flaked - we use lump)
1/4 c Finely Chopped Green Bell Pepper
1/4 c Mayo + extra for topping
3 Egg Yolks
1 tsp Salt
1 Dash Pepper
Paprika
1.) Combine the crab meat, bell pepper, and 1/4 c mayo. Gently stir until well mixed, set aside.
2.) Whip egg yolks with salt and pepper. Add egg mixture to crab meat mixture, and stir to combine.
3.) Pack mixture into custard cups, or a small casserole dish. Top each custard cup with about a tbsp of mayo, if using a casserole, top it with a thin layer of mayo. Sprinkle with paprika.
4.) Bake in a preheat 400 degree F oven for 20-30 minutes. Serve immediately, or allow to cool completely and refrigerate (and eat with crackers the next day!)
